Frustration (balance)

[thubar2000]

I took a look at the html file and I understand how damage rating and balance, but I'm not sure about the other factors ot the right of the damage rating.

The table looks like it would be very helpful to any balancing effort.

Thu

[Suicide Junkie]

quote:

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Range Mod, Supply Mod, ToHit / Seeker, Factor Target, Type Factor

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Those are apparently personal opinions on the value of each trait, mulitplied by how much of it the weapon has.

My preferred method of balancing things is the Rock-Paper-Scissors method, and/or the gotta-have-em-all approach (where each is best in a small range of situations).

[ 03 January 2002: Message edited by: suicide_junkie ]

[Andrés]

Yes they are personal opinions.
I agree that weapons with different are usable in different situations, but I just needed a way to compare them.
Some things may need to be corrected, but you'd agree that for example some special damage types will improve the ability to do damage and others will limit it.

[thubar2000]

I absolutely agree that some types (ignore armor, ignore shields) are definite advantages.

I used to play cardboard crack (i.e. Magic the Gathering). During some of the releases of new cards, the main question was "Will this unbalance the game?" Later it became more of "Will someone want to play with this?"

I feel that SE IV has too many weapons that were designed not to rock the boat. The Tachyon projectors (those direct-fire wapons that target weapons) for instance are a bit too slow firing (1 per 4 rounds) and short ranged. The Massive unique weapons are too short ranged and inaccuarate for their size.

Thu

[Sinapus]

I tend to go for two things when outfitting a ship with weapons:

1. Damage per turn (which means DUC, MB and APB's at the appropriate tech level)

2. Damage per kT.

Note, I can pick one over the other. Right now I am using Quantum Torpedo Vs supported by Meson BLaster VIs and doing some serious damage. The torpedo has a lower rate of fire, but it can do 30damage/kT more than the Meson bLaster in one hit. Since that 30kT of damage can be things like weapons, I have a chance of destroying a ship's weapons before it can fire at one of my ships.

Basically, I call it the "It dies NOW" philosophy.

(I do tend to keep a few pure DUC/MB/APB designs, but there's nothing like a few sledgehammers here and there. Now, to try to mod the Incinerator Beam/WMGs so they are actually nasty for their size.)

[Suicide Junkie]

quote:

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Now, to try to mod the Incinerator Beam/WMGs so they are actually nasty for their size.)

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Incinerator beams might be better off with a slight damage boost, but the WMGs would not.
The WMGs should have a range of 12-14 according to a comparison with SE3.
The WMG nastyness comes due to the fact that you can loose TWO sledgehammer blows before the enemy can get close enough to fight back. Of course, if you have a higher (or equal) speed than your opponent, you can keep it up until you hit the edge of the map. Once the enemy closes, they are outclassed by any other gun, but at max range they rule.
Artillery in beam form

[Sinapus]

quote:

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Originally posted by suicide_junkie:
Incinerator beams might be better off with a slight damage boost, but the WMGs would not.
The WMGs should have a range of 12-14 according to a comparison with SE3.
The WMG nastyness comes due to the fact that you can loose TWO sledgehammer blows before the enemy can get close enough to fight back. Of course, if you have a higher (or equal) speed than your opponent, you can keep it up until you hit the edge of the map. Once the enemy closes, they are outclassed by any other gun, but at max range they rule.
Artillery in beam form

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I'll consider it, though I must say I do like the effects of one Quantum Torpedo V (heavy mount) smashing through the shields of an enemy ship, then chewing on the armor and maybe an internal system.

Then the second torp hits.

Still going to stay in tactical combat since there isn't a "Has Intact Null-Space Weapons" choice in the targeting priorities. No, I don't care about the ship w/weapons 1 square away I want that N-S ship out of my sky.